Williams makes progress, Lidge’s pal gets save (w/audio)

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The Astros’ most important action Sunday was back in Kissimmee, where three pitchers who have been bothered by ailments this spring stayed behind to pitch in a minor-league game.

Righthander Woody Williams, who is making progress with the elbow tenderness he has had in spring, threw four strong scoreless innings against Astros minor-leaguers at Field 1 at Osceola County Stadium.

Most of the Astros’ top position players — Lance Berkman, Carlos Lee, Craig Biggio, Morgan Ensberg, Brad Ausmus — stayed behind in Kissimmee as the club traveled to St. Petersburg to play the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Brian Moehler, who is competing for the fifth spot in the rotation, started against the Devil Rays at Al Lang Field. He threw four scoreless innings, giving up one hit with one walk and three strikeouts.

Williams, Chad Qualls and Troy Patton pitched in Kissimmee and had mixed results.

Qualls, who arrived in camp with a tender right shoulder, gave up five hits and two runs over one inning. Patton, the top lefthanded pitching prospect who was set back by a sprained left ankle, gave up one run on two hits with one walk and two strikeouts over two innings.

“They did well,” Ausmus said about Qualls and Williams, the two he caught. “The big thing for Woody and I was to get acquainted with each other in a game situation, get our signals straight. I need to get an understanding how he likes to pitch, how he likes to attacks hitters. So we accomplished that.”

Williams struck out four and walked one while giving up only one hit through his four innings. He also had an RBI single.

• • •

One of Brad Lidge’s guests provided crucial relief Sunday morning when a fan tripped chasing a foul ball and suffered a head laceration when he smashed his head on a brick wall.

David Zumbach, an Astros fan from Canfield, Ohio, was cared for right away by Dr. Dale Spencer, a family practitioner from Colorado Springs. Dr. Spencer is the “confidant” to Lidge’s mother in-law.

As the Astros took batting practice on the main field at Osceola County Stadium, Spencer saw Zumbach chase a foul ball. As fans raced for the ball from the left side between the autograph alley and the back wall of the Astros’ clubhouse, Zumbach hit the wall.

Spencer quickly took off his shirt, placed it on Zumbach’s head to apply pressure on the wound and then had stadium security call for an ambulance. As Spencer’s shirt became soaked in blood, Summers quickly ran into the clubhouse for a towel. He also brought a shirt to put on Spencer’s back, guarding against the blistering sun’s rays.

“This kind of thing sometimes follows me,” Spencer said. “Just came to Florida to catch a little Florida sun, and I did catch some.”

Lidge had just finished some drills and was walking to another field with Dan Wheeler when he noticed his guest kneeling over Zumbach and applying pressure.

“That’s awesome that he’s here,” Lidge said of Spencer. “He’s never one to shy away from helping in any emergency.”

I don’t believe you read the whole article. I read the entire quote in context and what I get from it is that Purpura cares enough about his players and the clubhouse atmosphere that he wanted to know what the effect would be if Springer was not re-signed by the Astros. That is a far cry from wanting to “sow seeds of discontent within the organziation.”

Here are the three paragraphs which taken in context tell a totally different story.

And no one appreciated Springer more than Astros general manager Tim Purpura. He also knew Springer would be gone in 2007.

When it became obvious the Astros would not trump the Cardinals’ one-year, $1.75 million offer for Springer this winter, Purpura approached an Astros veteran and asked: If Springer was not a part of the 2007 Astros, how would it affect things?

“This player told me, ‘It would take Dan Wheeler five minutes to assume that role, and he would do as good or a better job,’ ” Purpura said. “Wheeler is a guy everyone looks up to. That’s an underrated guy right there. Dan Wheeler is really underrated.”

Springer were released. The vet replied that Wheeler could take his place in 5 minutes and do

as good or better job as leader. Springer will see

this and be hurt, not to mention that it’s

unprofessional. The GM shouldn’t have to ask

around to make such a decision. It pits players

against each other; they have to wonder what so

and so is saying behind their back. As he did on some other issues, the GM is sowing seeds of discontent within the organization. Springer is not only a great guy who had settled here; he has a child with a disability.(And that’s not to discount Wheeler, who is terrific.) I just don’t

like the vibe from the train station right now.

(Diane, I didn’t see that. I can tell you for a fact that several players were disappointed. And I mean top important players who were disappointed to see Springer let go. Honestly, though, I couldn’t comment on what Purpura said or how he said it because I wasn’t there to hear the inflection in his voice. I’d love to hear what his pitchers are telling him about whom they’d rather see playing defense for them in the outfield. JJO)